AHISA SUBMISSION

Department of Communications and the Arts

5 April 2019

Draft Online Safety Charter 

The Commonwealth Department of Communications and the Arts invited comment on a draft national Online Safety Charter. AHISA’s submission addresses the second principle informing the draft Charter, that ‘content that is harmful to users, particularly children, should be appropriately restricted’.

AHISA’s submission draws attention to the conceptual difference between evidence of harm, and evidence of risk of harm. Noting the dynamic nature of digital technology development and given that technological change must of necessity outpace the investigation and assessment of its impact on the wellbeing of children, AHISA argues it is important for the Australian Government to seek to identify and act on risk of harm. 

Submission on the Draft Online Safety Charter